State police filed charges against a local couple after they were caught in a vehicle chase through North and South Carolina in a pickup truck they had allegedly stole from a Parker Township resident.

Travis R. Duttine, 29, of East Brady, and Jessica L. Custer, 33, of Petrolia, were both charged with felony counts of theft and unauthorized use of a vehicle stemming from a theft reported Aug. 27.

Custer was arraigned Thursday morning and is free on a non-monetary bond; however, Duttine has yet to be arraigned on the charges.

Police said a witness saw Custer enter the home of the vehicle’s owner on the night of Aug. 26. The witness told officers that Custer took the keys and drove the vehicle a short distance down the street, where she stopped. Duttine then entered the vehicle, and it was driven away with both inside.

Nearly 12 hours after their investigation into the vehicle theft, police received a call from Custer’s mother reporting her daughter was missing.

“During that time, (the mother) related Custer was believed to be with Duttine after he was granted a four-hour furlough from Butler County Prison for his father’s funeral,” said police in the affidavit.

According to court documents, the furlough was granted Aug. 24 by Butler County Common Pleas Judge Kelley Streib, who is presiding over a case filed against Duttine in May involving misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief, child endangerment, and drug and paraphernalia possession.

Duttine was in jail from that offense and another filed in June with one felony count of illegally possessing a gun. In that case, he was placed in jail on $50,000 bond.

On Aug. 26, he was charged with one felony count of escape for failing to return from his furlough.

Police said while speaking with the mother, they received information from police in North Carolina, who spotted Duttine driving the stolen truck with Custer in the passenger seat.

“Law enforcement attempted to stop the truck, and a pursuit ensued that eventually ended in South Carolina after Duttine crashed the truck and fled into a wooded area,” police said. “Custer and Duttine were subsequently taken into custody without incident.”

Police collected further evidence from a phone call between Custer and Duttine while he was in jail. Police said in the recorded conversation, Duttine instructed her to “steal a vehicle for her to pick him up in.”

Police said they also received copies of messages between Custer and Duttine’s brother sent before the truck had been stolen.

“He don’t wanna go back,” said the message sent by Custer.

Duttine has multiple felony convictions since 2014, including theft, forgery and aggravated assault.

The assault conviction comes from a 2019 Butler County case in which Duttine attacked two EMTs treating him for drug use. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to serve 15 to 30 months in jail.

A preliminary hearing for Custer is scheduled for Sept. 20 before Stoughton. Duttine’s hearing will be scheduled following his arraignment.